Since March, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to live within new measures meant to keep everyone safe. And for many, this involves a work-from-home setup. It didn't seem like the worst thing in the world because let's face it, we didn't exactly *love* commuting. A few extra hours in the morning actually felt nice. But the reality is: Not everyone is equipped to deal with this change. Work hours feel longer, professional boundaries are getting blurry, and you can't understand your emotions.
Basically, you're burning out. What's worse is that this usually happens to the "best" employees, to the ones with a lot of ambition because you want to prove you're committed to the job. With the pandemic, stress is at an all-time high for everyone.
You can talk to your boss to see how much wiggle room you have to work with when it comes to your tasks. But it is essential that you find ways to deal with this new work environment because that's something *you* can control. Below, people from our Cosmo Mixers share the ways they deal with job burnout.
- "I have a *hard stop* at the end of the day: 6:00 p.m. is my hard stop. Everything else will just have to be carried over to the next day...This technique works best when you prioritize urgent items during the first half of the day so you can actually afford to go home with an open/ongoing task that can be done the next day...I spend weekends mostly switched off from social media. This has done wonders for me. My personal time is filled with lots of noble leisure now: journaling, taking up an online course for my personal development, and reading a book." -Marian
- "NAPS!!!" -Lois
- "I take my weekends seriously. As much as possible, I try to disconnect and really rest on weekends to prep me for the coming week. On weekdays, I take breaks in between my work hours. I realized that staying away from my work space even just for five minutes makes me more efficient and productive. Lastly, if applicable, keep work related apps off your phone." -Bianca
- "I let my team and my boss know that I'm feeling burnt out. Para masalo rin nila ako if ever there are tasks that are slipping. I take a nap, exercise, or do a bit (like five pieces of underwear levels lol) of laundry." -Tish
- "I clean my room (or anything I can clean). It gives me the illusion of having control over something and still being productive. If not, I just stay on the floor and cuddle with my dog. It never fails. Some days, it lasts for an hour, sometimes, just a few minutes." -Nicole
- "I exercise before I start working, so when I do start working, the endorphins have kicked in and have already made me happy! Haha, I know it doesn't work every time ('cause life gets in the way). But I swear, it's really the one activity I look forward to each morning. I not only do my workout but I dance my heart out with my K-pop playlists blasting in my ears. At this point, if an 8:00 a.m. rager is what keeps me sane then I'll do it." -Jacinda
- "I send messages to my friends to see how they're doing and then I listen to a bunch of BTS songs while scrolling through my social media feed for that ultimate ~healing~. Then, it's K-drama time." -Johanna
- "I go *completely* offline for a few hours (when I'm sure no one urgently needs me, LOL). Then I listen to a new musical's cast recording or watch new eps of Queer Eye! Jonathan Van Ness is my fave because he's just so happy all the time! My hate sa world disappears when I watch him." -Lily
- "I've recently implemented Productivity Hour for my team. We each nominated an hour when we think we're the most productive, and we allocate that to accomplish high-level tasks. As much as possible, we don't check our emails, work chats, or set meetings so we can get impt stuff done. Since ECQ started, I stuck to my usual work hours as if I was still working in the office. Apart from the Productivity Hour, I strictly follow 12:00 to 1:00 lunch hour and log off between 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. since dinner is at 7:00. I also don't link work accounts to my personal devices so I'm not tempted to check work stuff after I log off." -Anya
- "I try to experiment with one pastry a week and master it. This week, I'm trying to find my own style of brownies as a break from all the cookies I've baked. My goal is to master at least six cookie recipes or find my own mix. Plus, manually mixing thick stuff in a bowl is a good arm workout and stress release. -Deih
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Answers have been edited for clarity.
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